Process for producing phenoxycarboxylic acid derivative

Claim 1

In a process for producing a phenoxycarboxylic acid derivative having the formula ##STR13## wherein R represents ##STR14## and X 1 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a lower alkyl group, trifluoromethyl group, nitro group or cyano group and X 2 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a lower alkyl group, nitro group or cyano group, R' represents ##STR15## And R 1 and R 2 are the same and different and respectively represent hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group, by reacting a phenol compound having the formula ##STR16## with a halogen compound having X--R' (II) wherein X represents a halogen atom, in the presence of a base the improvement comprising carrying out the reaction in the presence of a quaternary phosphonium salt selected from the group consisting of benzyltrialkylammonium salts, benzyltrialylphosphonium salts, tetraalkylammonium salts, tetraalkylphosphonium salts, triphenylalkylphosphonium salts and triphenylbenzylphosphonium salts in a nonpolar solvent at 50° to 90° C., the molar ratio of the quaternary ammonium salt or quaternary phosphonium salt to the phenol compound is from 0.005 to 0.05 and the molar ratio of the base to the phenol compound is from 0.05 to 1.5.